VIJAYAWADA: “We will uncover the irregularities in the construction and renaming of the park after Yarra Nageswara Rao in Machilipatnam,” said Kollu Ravindra, Minister for Mines, Geology, and Excise.
He called for action against those who misappropriated public funds under the guise of park development.
Speaking to mediapersons on Thursday about the establishment of a park named after Yarra Nageswara Rao, Ravindra expressed his outrage over the reported irregularities. He noted that the park was initially named after the late NTR, but Y Srilakshmi, the then Special Chief Secretary of Municipal Administration, renamed it after her father.
Ravindra criticised former minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) and Special Chief Secretary Srilakshmi for renaming the park after a former MLA with no notable service to the constituency.
He condemned the expenditure of Rs 2 crore from greening and beautification funds and Rs 18 lakh from the Municipal Corporation for the park.
“If there is an idea to put up a statue of her father, it should be done at personal expense,” Ravindra insisted, denouncing the unilateral actions taken in this regard.
He recalled the TDP government’s efforts in developing numerous parks in Machilipatnam, expressing disappointment that the subsequent YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration neglected these initiatives.
He pointed out that the previous government failed to maintain the park located between the collector’s office and bungalow, leading to a gate collapse that tragically resulted in the death of a child.
Ravindra also criticised the YSRC government for ignoring a municipality-passed resolution to name a park under the Panchayat Raj after Konkalla Ganapathi Rao.
He vowed to investigate all irregularities related to the park and reveal details of the expenditures. Ravindra assured that he would bring the issue to the attention of the Minister of Municipal Administration and push for actions to rectify the irregularities within the state.
“We will ensure accountability and transparency in the management of public funds,” he concluded.